shook his head. Evidently he did not understand. "Y ou didn't get my dime," Mr. North repeated, more carefully. "Here it is." "Well?" said the bus conductor. He seemed very stupid. "My fare," said Mr. North. "My bus fare. You missed me. Here it is." He held it out again. The bus conductor glanced quickly over his shoulder at a group of other bus con- d uctors. Satisfied that they were looking the other way, he turned to Mr. North. "All right, buddy," he said. "What's a dime?" "Well," said Mr. North, "1-" "Just run along, buddy," said the bus conductor. "J ust run along with your dime. Don't go sticking it out where the inspector can see it. Do you want him to think I ain't on my job? Do you want to get me in wrong?" "Well," said Mr . North, "I wanted to pay my fare." "Run along, buddy, will you?" said the bus conductor. He seemed on the verge of beIng annoyed. Mr. North ran along. He still felt guilty. -RICHARD LOCKRIDGE 19 DAY ON THE. BE.ACH I T was proving to be a very success- ful day on the beach. Not until late afternoon, with the sun still high, of course, and all ablaze about them, did Mr. Leavitt begin to suspect that a certain tedium might arise from such a whole-hearted dedication to health and rest, to air and sun and water and sand. Helping himself to a discreet draught from the thermos of a punch composed of tea and ginger ale, a touch of lemon, and a great deal more than a touch of gin, he sur- veyed the scene in a spasm of animation. Their party had come up the beach a good distance from the bath-house, and they were practically isolated. A single orange-and-scarlet parasol was somewhat near them, with a family group, children and pets, huddled un- der it. Mr. Leavitt turned his face quickly away from that spectacle. He had never found either children or pets restful to look upon. Still further down the shore, he observed the stolid, heavy silhouette of a conscientious nudist, re- mote enough to disturb no one. Other- wise there were only his own com- panions, the two young men from Yale-one a nephew of Mr. Leavitt's -throwing a ball back and forth tirelessly, persistently; and then Mrs. Willoughby. Mrs. Willoughby lay wrapped in towelling from head to foot, fast asleep, a bit of wreckage thrown up by the waves, one might think, and left to parch upon the sands. Mrs. Willoughby had vowed that she could trudge as far as anyone along the beach, but when they had found this spot separate and distant enough from the crowds she had, of course, col- lapsed. She had suddenly felt illish. She must be left in peace. She looked quite done in, and Mr. Leavitt gazed at her amiably, reflecting on the kind of loneliness that must have impelled her to come on such an outing as this one, that had in fact led her of late to consult him so often on her personal problems, though their acquaintance was actually so slight. She appeared to have no really substantial or reliable intimates, but he had felt some grati- tude toward her ever since she had agreed with him that it would be a great mistake for her niece to mar- ry his nephew. This sentimental im- . .. I "It is one thing to give somebody the raspberry, and another to run this country!"